When Martha Kablik of Hedgehog Community Cooperative in Deering arrived at ROC-NH's Community Leadership overnight retreat last September, you might say she was a bit shy. Actually, she was petrified. Her "deer in the headlight" expression gave away her extreme discomfort, and she barely said a word.
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Martha Kablik |
As leadership instructors, we are committed to every participant's success, and we kept a close eye on Martha. Through Friday night and all day Saturday, she stayed mostly silent and withdrawn. When the retreat ended, we didn't expect her to return for the next training in November.
Boy, were we wrong.
Come November, Martha was there on time and ready to go, and it was obvious that something was already different about her.
She became more verbal and animated with each training session. Her spirit really started to shine through. The shy person who had arrived a few months earlier was nowhere to be found. She began to share her opinions and assert herself in both large- and small-group work.
By late winter her classmates nominated her to be the class speaker at graduation what an honor! Martha politely declined the nomination, but the message was clear: Her transformation had an amazing impact on her classmates.
Martha's story is but one of many about people who have used our Community Leadership training to transform their lives in ways large and small. They have graduated with knowledge, skills and connections that continue to have a positive impact on their lives, and in their co-ops.
We at ROC-NH™ believe in the leader in everyone, and we commit everyday to helping people realize their potential to make a positive difference in their communities. Leadership is not just for other people, it's for you!
Oh, by the way, Martha was elected president of her co-op since graduation from Community Leadership. Congratulations Martha, and ROC on!
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